UK Athletics to construct new football training facility

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky Board of Trustees has approved UK Athletics’ $45-million project to build a new football training facility adjacent to Commonwealth Stadium and the Nutter Field House.

The University Athletics Committee approved the initial proposal at a 9 a.m. meeting Friday, sending the proposal to the Finance Committee, which also approved. The UK Board of Trustees put its final stamp of approval on the project at a 1 p.m. meeting. The proposal will now be submitted to the Council on Postsecondary Education and the Capital Projects and Bond Oversight Committee for authorization at their February 2014 meetings.

The project, which will be constructed with private funds, will build a new training facility along with two practice fields and a drill area behind the east endzone of Commonwealth Stadium. The new two-story facility will include administrative offices, locker spaces, team meeting areas, training areas, high performance and weight room space, equipment rooms, a hydrotherapy room, player locker rooms, lounge facilities, an academic lounge/study area, media room and an entrance lobby with enhanced visitor amenities. Construction will begin when plans are finalized with a goal of completion prior to the 2016 season.

“As we continue to make a commitment to improving all of our facilities, this is a significant step for our football program,” said Mitch Barnhart, UK Director of Athletics. “I’m very appreciative of the donors who are stepping up to help with this project. We look forward to completing the funding and design process.”

“We are so excited to get this project started and I am thankful to all of those involved,” Coach Mark Stoops said. “Once again, this is an indication of the great commitment from our administration and our supporters who are making this happen. This facility is already helping us in recruiting and will play a key role in the future of Kentucky football.”

The project joins a $110-million reinvention of Commonwealth Stadium announced in November 2013, helping transform the home of UK football into a state-of-the-art facility in time for the start of the 2015 season. The reinvention of CWS, which is currently under construction now, will feature enhanced premium seating, including private suites and club seating, new football home-team facilities with a multi-purpose recruiting room, and a redesign of CWS inside and out to give the home of the Wildcats a modern look that remains uniquely Kentucky. For more, visit TheNewCWS.com.

The Nutter Training Facility, which is football’s current practice home, will be used to serve other UK student-athletes when the new building is completed. The Kentucky football team is currently in winter conditioning as it prepares for spring practice.

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